Addicted
by Kitty Bandit
Summary: ::Sequel to Come Undone:: It's just to distract himself from his shitty situation, Lavi reminds himself. He doesn't care about Tyki. They're just using each other. It's not as if he has feelings for the Noah. That would be ridiculous, right? Lucky Pairing.


Lavi pressed his face against the cool plaster of the wall, his sweaty forehead and cheeks sticking to the immaculate paint. His breath came in heavy pants as his hands scrambled to grab hold of something. It was all he could do to keep from falling over as Tyki fucked him from behind. His pants were loose around one of his ankles, Tyki holding the other leg up to get a better angle as he continued to thrust with abandon. Lavi's own arousal had been left untouched, and it bounced painfully against his stomach.

"Tyki, _please_ ," Lavi groaned, his breath hitching as a rough thrust left him moaning against the wall. "P-Please…"

Lavi felt Tyki's breath on the back of his neck, and heard him grunt as he shifted their weight. Not a second later, Tyki's hand grasped Lavi's heated length, stroking him with a firm, steady rhythm.

His limbs were numb and tired, but as Lavi felt his stomach tie into that familiar knot, he knew he had to keep himself upright. The back hallway they'd met in was empty, but the sounds of their frantic fucking echoed down the corridors. Lavi normally tried to keep quiet, too worried about being caught in a compromising situation with the Noah, but this time he was too far gone to hold back.

Tyki let out a soft moan as his hips worked harder into Lavi. "Fuck, you feel so good," he mumbled into the redhead's neck, biting and sucking at the skin he found there. It left Lavi shivering, wanting more and more.

Lavi cried out, coming in spurts of white against the wall and on Tyki's fingers. He shuddered, nails scraping against the smooth plaster as he fought to keep standing. Once he'd finished, Tyki roughly grabbed his hips, pounding into his ass without hesitation. Lavi gasped and moaned, his body sensitive and sore as Tyki continued to work into him with abandon. It took another minute for Tyki to find his own completion, spilling into the redhead with a lewd groan. He kissed over Lavi's neck and shoulders, pulling free with a jerk of his hips. Even after spending himself, Tyki turned Lavi around and kissed him roughly.

Lavi whined into Tyki's mouth, his hands weakly grabbing at his loose buttoned shirt to keep from falling over. Exhausted, Lavi struggled to keep his thoughts straight. "Ah, Tyki," he moaned as he pulled back for a breath.

Tyki didn't stop kissing him, instead moving his lips down Lavi's neck. He grabbed Lavi's ass and lifted him up off his feet before pinning him to the wall. Lavi grunted at the sudden movement, his arms wrapping around Tyki's neck to hold himself upright.

"Come back to my room," Tyki mumbled into Lavi's neck. "Stay with me tonight."

Lavi squeezed his legs around Tyki's waist and gasped as he felt a nip on one of his ears. "I-I can't."

"Yes, you can," Tyki laughed, nearly losing his breath from it. At least Lavi knew he was tired as well. "I'll carry you if I have to." He sucked hard on Lavi's neck again, earning him a pitiful whine from the redhead's throat.

"I _want_ t-to," Lavi stuttered, his voice cracking. "I _can't_. I have too much work to do tomorrow, and if I don't go back to my room, Bookman will know something's up."

"Always working," Tyki teased, his voice rumbling in his throat as he continued to pepper kisses and bites along Lavi's neck. "Don't you ever take a break?"

Lavi groaned, his fingers clenched tight into Tyki's long, black hair. If he wasn't careful, he'd get hard again, and then Tyki would never let him go. "I'm taking a break now, aren't I?"

"Hnn, I suppose so." Tyki eased him back down to his feet, and it took Lavi a moment to keep from swaying and falling over. He clung to Tyki until he could stand on his own. "Are you sure I can't convince you to join me for round two?"

With a sigh, Lavi bent over and pulled up his pants, fixing them with fumbling fingers. "I'm sure." If Lavi were honest with himself, he knew it wouldn't take much for Tyki to change his mind, but he didn't want to push his luck. Bookman was suspicious of his recent absences as it was, and disappearing for an entire night would definitely tip the old man off that he was up to something.

Lavi dreaded the thought of Bookman finding out what he was _really_ up to. He'd never live it down.

Tyki fixed his own pants as well, and when they were both fully dressed once more, he ran his hand over Lavi's cheek, fingers tracing along his jawline. "You were great again, Red. Absolutely perfect." He leaned in and pressed a kiss against Lavi's lips, softer than their previous ones.

"You weren't so bad yourself," Lavi mumbled in return, his back pressing up against the wall he'd soiled only moments ago. They continued to kiss for a long moment, lips and tongues gently caressing each other before Lavi finally pushed Tyki back. "Seriously, I have to go."

Letting out an exaggerated sigh, Tyki pulled back and shoved his hands in his pockets. He stared at Lavi for a long moment, golden eyes raking up and down his lanky frame. The pointed gaze left Lavi more flushed than when he was pressed up against the wall with his legs spread.

"I suppose I can find something else to occupy my time," Tyki said, turning on his heel and walking away. His pace was lazy, and he waved one hand in the air as he turned the corner. "Later."

Once Tyki disappeared down the hallway, Lavi let out a heavy breath, his heart still racing. His body ached, and as the buzz of his orgasm faded, Lavi felt that heavy guilt settle in his chest. This was wrong— it was wrong and he shouldn't be doing it…

But it felt so good…

"Stop thinking about it," he mumbled to himself, shaking his head and heading towards his and Bookman's room. Ever since he and Tyki had hooked up that second time, Lavi realized he'd given up trying to do the right thing— or even the sensible thing. Yes, he had despised Tyki, hated him and everything he stood for. But stuck in this mansion, cut off from his former friends at the Black Order and shoved right back into his duties as a junior Bookman, Lavi found his only outlet was Tyki. Their nightly activities were the only thing keeping him sane. Sure, they were using each other. Tyki fucked him to ward off boredom, and Lavi fucked him to forget, but the reasons didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was that they found what they needed in each other's flesh, and if it got Lavi through this war with his mind and body intact, then he could live with it.

In the dim light of the hallway, Lavi looked over his clothing and smoothed out the ruffled folds. He didn't want to look too disheveled, or sport any tell-tale stains on his clothes. After raking his fingers through his hair to tame it as best he could, he buttoned his collar up high to hide the bruises he knew were already forming on his neck. By the time he reached his room, Lavi seemed more or less presentable.

As he entered, he found Bookman where he always did— sitting at his desk and surrounded by books, parchment, and a cloud of cigarette smoke. Lavi faked a yawn and grabbed his nightclothes and a towel before shuffling towards the bathroom. "Oh, wow. Sooo tired. Better get cleaned up before bed."

"Junior."

Bookman's stern tone left the redhead cringing. He took a moment to hide his distress with a bored look and turned around. "Yeah? What do you want, Old Man? I'm busy."

Without missing a beat, Bookman tossed a book towards Lavi, beaning him right in the forehead. Lavi cried out, dropping his clothes and towel. "Learn your manners, idiot! Is that how you talk to me after disappearing half the night? Did you even get your work done?"

Lavi snatched the book off the floor and tossed it on his bed, all the while rubbing at his sore forehead. "Yes, I did! It's in the library. I'll give it to you later." He wasn't going to mention that the reason his work was still sitting in the library was because Tyki had whisked him off to the back hallway for some fun. Hopefully, Bookman wouldn't ask too many questions. Lavi was starting to run out of excuses.

Bookman continued to stare at Lavi, and it unnerved the redhead. He picked up his dropped clothes and towel, then headed towards the bathroom again. "If that's all you're going to yell at me for, I'm taking a bath now."

"Junior, a moment."

Lavi sighed and turned back around. He leaned against the door jamb, ready for another lecture. "What?"

Bookman snuffed out his cigarette in the ash tray. "You seem to be doing better than you had been when we first started this assignment." He lost his harsh tone, turning his gaze away from Lavi. "I was curious as to what's suddenly changed."

Lavi shrugged, glad that Bookman's sharp eyes weren't on his. "I guess you could say I worked through my issues."

With a snort, Bookman grabbed one of the open books in front of him and snapped it shut. "Well, whatever it is, I'm glad you're better."

Lavi's shoulders relaxed at that. He heard the genuine relief in his Master's voice. "Thanks. Me, too."

Clearing his throat, Bookman turned back to his work as he continued to address Lavi. "I think you're almost ready to go out on assignments with me again. There's no reason for you to stay cooped up in this place."

Lavi blinked and stared at the back of Bookman's head. "Really?"

"Yes. I think you should get out, head into town. If you stay in here much longer, you'll forget what the sun looks like."

With a snicker, Lavi grinned. "I suppose it's been a while."

Bookman paused for a moment, then addressed his apprentice once more. "Take tomorrow off. Go do something fun."

"What? Seriously? You're just giving me a day off?" Lavi watched Bookman, his jaw hanging open. "What about all that work you said you needed me to get started on?"

"It can wait a day or two. Even Bookmen need a day off." He didn't return his gaze to Lavi, staying focused on the books in front of him.

"Thanks," Lavi mumbled, still standing in front of the bathroom.

"Also," Bookman began, carefully turning a page in his book. "Do you feel ready to shift into your 50th persona?"

Lavi looked up, staring at Bookman's back. He was thankful his Master couldn't see his face— there was no way to hide his shock. Everyone had mostly referred to him as 'Junior' since he and Bookman switched sides, recording for the Noah instead of the Black Order. As far as anyone knew or cared, Lavi was dead. He'd been dead for months now. But… even if people called him Junior, he couldn't shake Lavi.

He hadn't stopped thinking of himself as Lavi.

It took a moment to reply, longer than he should've taken. He only hoped Bookman didn't noticed the hesitation. "…I've been called Junior for months now. It doesn't make sense to switch to a new persona in the middle of our assignment. Besides, it's not like anyone's going to respect the name change anyway."

Bookman hummed as he considered the argument. "True enough. We'll save it for later."

Suddenly anxious, Lavi held his clean clothes and towel tighter to his chest. "If that's all, I'm gonna take a bath."

"Yes, you're free to go."

Lavi hurried into the small bathroom, locking the door behind him as he let out a soft sigh. He pressed his forehead against the door. He wasn't sure what to think of Bookman suddenly giving him more time to himself. It wasn't unprecedented. The Old Man had given him time off before, but it usually was when he was sick or they had such a difficult assignment that he had a hard time bouncing back from it. But… Bookman even said that he thought Lavi was doing better, wanted him to do more work. This spontaneous day off struck him as odd, but Lavi would still take advantage of it.

If Bookman had ulterior motives, he'd figure it out later. Right now, he needed a bath.

After starting the faucet and filling the tub, Lavi peeled out of his sticky, dirty clothes. He balled them up and shoved them into the corner of the dimly lit room, and once the tub was full, he jumped in. The hot water burned his skin, but soothed his aching, sore muscles. Sex with Tyki was amazing, but it also taxed his body more than he liked to admit.

Lavi rested his head back against the edge of the tub as a smile slipped onto his face. He thought over the times he and Tyki had met under the cover of night, spending hours pressed up against each other like animals in heat. Whenever he let his thoughts wander on their illicit activities, his pulse raced and his face flushed. It kept him from thinking about things he didn't want to remember—it kept him distracted.

And if he had all day to himself tomorrow, he would need a lot of distracting.

xXxXxXx

The afternoon sun filtered in through the sheer curtains of Tyki's room as the sounds of desperate panting and the wet smack of skin on skin bounced off the walls. Tyki laid back on the bed, the sheets and blankets twisted up under him as he tossed his head back against the pillows. Lavi straddled his hips, working himself onto Tyki at a feverish pace. He rode Tyki's dick hard, gasping with every thrust.

Tyki's fingers dug painfully into Lavi's hips, curling into his bruised flesh. He moaned, closing his eyes and arching his back into a particularly deep thrust. "Fuck," he groaned out. "You're so tight."

Lavi had lost the ability to think nearly ten minutes ago. His body burned with arousal, and no matter how hard he fucked himself onto Tyki, it wasn't enough. His stomach coiled with want, desperate desire, but completion was always just out of reach. Grabbing onto the mattress for leverage, Lavi rocked his hips harder, hoping to press Tyki deeper into himself, scratching at that itch he just couldn't reach. Precum oozed from the tip of his hard, red cock, but he was too busy grasping at the sheets to touch himself for relief.

A loud groan rumbled in Tyki's throat, his eyes rolling back in his head. "Shit." Reaching up, he grabbed the back of Lavi's neck with one hand and yanked him down, smashing their mouths together in a rough kiss. Lavi whined into it, hips still fighting for more friction.

Tyki tipped them over, forcing Lavi onto his back and pinning him to the bed. With a feral grin, he tossed Lavi's legs over his shoulders and fucked him harder. Lavi cried out, his mouth hung open as Tyki worked into him. He hadn't been this rough since their first time, but Lavi arched his back to meet his hips. With his hands now free, he reached down and pumped his painfully neglected cock.

God, it felt _so good_. His eye squeezed tight as he gasped and moaned. His hips and stomach ached from the strain of their activities, but he couldn't stop—not until this burning desire was satiated. He stroked himself fervently, tossing his head from side to side as his guts curled into a perfect knot of pleasure. He came so quickly that it took him by surprise, gasping and keening as Tyki's hips never ceased their frantic pace. White spurted over his stomach, past his fingers, and sliding over taut skin.

Not more than a few seconds after the spasms ceased and Lavi had milked the last of his orgasm, Tyki came as well. He grunted, hands tightening on Lavi's legs as he held him in place. His hips canted into the redhead, rough and unforgiving for another long moment before he finally slowed to a stop. Sweat trickled down the side of his face, along his jaw line, and he chuckled breathlessly.

"That was fucking amazing." Tyki released Lavi's legs and slipped out of him before crawling along his side and collapsing on the bed next to him. He grinned, running his fingers through the mess on Lavi's stomach.

Lavi sighed, still trying to catch his breath. He pushed Tyki's hand away. "Don't—it's gross."

Tyki smirked, then slipped the cum-stained fingers into his mouth.

Lavi only groaned and tugged the dirty fingers from Tyki's mouth. "You're disgusting."

"You love it."

Not bothering to deny it, Lavi turned to his side and used the sheet to wipe at the mess on his stomach. He was sore and tired, but the buzz of his orgasm left him feeling light and fuzzy. When the mess had been more or less cleaned up, Tyki pulled Lavi in close and kissed him. It wasn't rough or forceful like their other kisses had been. No, this was so soft and sweet that Lavi forgot it was Tyki who was kissing him.

Tyki slipped his hand along Lavi's jaw, then smoothed it over the sweaty skin on his neck. Lavi let out a sigh through his nose at the touch, relaxing. After a moment, Tyki pulled him closer, kissing his neck and holding Lavi against him.

Since they'd been meeting up on a regular basis, Lavi had found this the more bizarre of Tyki's quirks. He'd never expected the Noah to be interested in post-sex cuddling, but whenever Tyki had the luxury of luring Lavi to his bedroom, the redhead always found himself curled up next to him. Normally, once Tyki fell asleep, Lavi would sneak out of the room and return to his own. However, this time they'd met midday— a highly unusual occurrence. Tyki wasn't going to fall asleep so easily, and even though Bookman had given him the whole day to himself (which was the only reason he'd found himself with Tyki in the first place), he couldn't spend all day in his room. He did want to get outside, eventually.

Tyki's hand trailed down Lavi's side to his hip, caressing the bruised skin as he licked and kissed at his neck. Lavi closed his eyes, the gentle touches a stark contrast to how rough their sex had been. He was about to pull away before things got too involved, when Tyki finally spoke up.

"You should have every day off," he said, grinning against Lavi's skin.

"What, so we can fuck even more?" Lavi snickered, his hand resting on Tyki's broad shoulder. He refused to voice how much he liked that idea.

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

Lavi didn't reply. Instead, he kissed Tyki once more, shutting off conversation.

If Tyki minded, he didn't express it. He reciprocated the kiss in kind, leaving the redhead breathless with the intensity of it.

They continued to kiss for minutes on end, and Lavi felt his body begin to respond to the intimate touches. Not wanting to get caught up in another round, he pushed back from Tyki's lips and caught his breath. "I should go."

"Go where? You have the whole day off. Spend it here— I promise you won't regret it." Tyki grinned, already trailing kisses down his chest.

Lavi let out a moan, biting his lip in a futile attempt to stifle it. "Bookman said I should get out of this mansion for a while. Get fresh air…" He swallowed, trying to control himself the lower Tyki moved down his body. "I was going to go into town."

"Oh?" Tyki asked, interest piqued. He slowed his descent down Lavi's body, looking back up at him with sharp, golden eyes. "Bookman's finally giving you some slack, eh? About time."

Sighing, Lavi rested his head back against the pillows and stared up at the ceiling. "Yeah, he said I've been better lately…" When he thought back on it, he could see the truth in Bookman's observations. The first few weeks after Bookman traded their lives for the information the Noah needed on the 14th, Lavi had been uncooperative, to say the least. He'd picked fights nearly every day, was openly hostile, and almost got himself killed on numerous occasions. Now he had simply… stopped. Keeping himself distracted with Tyki stopped him from mulling on the past too much, and it had paid off. He was gaining back Bookman's trust, and felt more in control of his situation that he had in months.

Crawling back up the bed, Tyki laid next to Lavi, resting a hand on his naked stomach. "We should go tonight, then. Together."

Lavi shifted his gaze towards him, surprised at the offer. "You want to go with me?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"That sounds suspiciously like a date," Lavi said, grabbing at the blankets twisted around his legs and pulling them up to cover himself. Even in the dead of summer, Tyki's bedroom felt cold, and his skin prickled with goosebumps from the chill.

"Yeah, it's a date. What else would it be?"

Lavi froze at Tyki's confirmation. He'd been joking, of course, but Tyki had taken it seriously and… Well, Lavi didn't know how to handle that. "You want to go on a date. With me?"

Tyki laughed, a grin spreading over his face. "Of course, Red. It'll be fun." Leaning in, he kissed Lavi, lips lingering for a long moment before pulling away. "Maybe I'll even buy you something if you're good."

"I…" Lavi hadn't even thought of dating. That was too… too normal. So far, they'd done nothing but sneak around behind everyone's backs and fuck like rabbits. If anything, Lavi had assumed they were nothing but fuck-buddies. Nothing about this situation screamed 'relationship,' and neither of them had asked for anything more than a simple swapping of skin to pass the time and soothe old wounds. Sure, he'd grown accustomed to Tyki's presence, and there were multiple times he'd sought out the Noah of his own accord, but it didn't mean anything, right?

Did he even want that? Did he want things to be… more? He knew if Bookman caught even a whiff of the idea that Lavi had considered a relationship with anyone, let alone a _Noah_ , he'd be under more scrutiny than he already was, and Bookman would make sure to rip him away from whoever he'd become attached to.

He'd almost done it at the Order, but circumstance did Bookman's job for him.

Lavi had every intention of saying no—telling Tyki that he wanted to go alone. This wasn't a date. They didn't have a real relationship. But when he opened his mouth to reply, he surprised himself. "Yeah. I want to go with you."

"Good," Tyki replied, climbing back on top of the redhead as the bedsheets slipped away from his hips. "In the meantime, let me remind you why staying in bed with me is the only way to spend the day."

This time, Lavi didn't argue the point.

xXxXxXx

Lavi didn't know why he was so nervous. It wasn't really a date, no matter what Tyki said. They _weren't_ dating. They _didn't_ have a relationship. This meant _nothing_ to him.

Still, even reminding himself of those facts, Lavi's palms were sweaty and his heart raced. He was nervous and excited. He wanted to blame it on being out of that mansion for the first time in months, but he knew better— he knew it had more to do with the man walking next to him than it did with the crowded streets.

"You didn't have to dress like a homeless person, you know," Lavi complained, stuffing his hands into his pockets as they walked. At the mansion, Tyki had dressed neatly, pressed shirts and clean slacks. The outfit he had on now looked as if he'd dragged it from the bottom of the laundry hamper. His pants had an indiscernible stain on the left pant leg, and his shirt was wrinkled beyond reason.

Tyki shrugged and pulled the cigarette from his lips, flicking the ashes on the ground as they walked. "People pay less attention to you if you look like shit." He turned his gaze to Lavi and let a smirk slip onto his face. "Figured you wouldn't want to draw attention."

Lavi averted his gaze, those golden eyes too intense for him in that moment. "You figured right." Scanning the buildings they passed, he chewed at his lip anxiously. "So, what are we doing?"

"Why are you asking me? You're the one who hasn't been out in months."

"Exactly. I've never been in this town before. I have no idea where I'm going."

Tyki snickered. "Does that make me your _escort_ for the evening?"

Lavi frowned, even as a shiver went up his spine. "Don't say it like that—it sounds dirty."

"Maybe I meant it to be."

The flush on Lavi's cheeks rivaled his hair, and he pulled the scarf up around his neck to hide it. He tried to ignore Tyki's comments, but when Lavi felt a hand slip around his waist to pull him closer, he knew he was doomed.

He should've stayed at the mansion.

"How about we get something to eat? You have to be hungry after all that vigorous activity," Tyki suggested, his fingers tightening on Lavi's hip. Lavi felt him hit one of the many bruises that riddled his skin after those very _activities_.

In spite of his embarrassed state, he still managed a smart reply. "Aren't you full by now? You certainly had more than enough things in your mouth."

That comment left Tyki doubling over in laughter. "A man can't live on _protein_ alone," he replied, less embarrassed by his words than Lavi had expected. "C'mon, now. What do you want? I'll even buy it, since I'm such a nice guy." He leaned in closer to Lavi as he spoke, his hot breath tickling the redhead's ears and neck.

Lavi swallowed and looked away, even if gave Tyki better access to his neck. He cleared his throat and looked over at the various shops and restaurants that lined the streets. They'd been slowly walking through town, aimlessly wandering. Lavi wasn't even sure where exactly they were, but by the looks of storefronts, they meandered into a popular shopping district. The sun was setting and the lampposts were already lit, but people still milled about.

"I don't care…" he replied, then pointed to a place at random. "There is good."

The restaurant looked as generic as they came— large front window, plain and sturdy furniture, and a modest amount of customers. From the street, Lavi could see a few pies cooling on one counters, and smelled something delicious wafting from the building.

Humming Tyki pulled Lavi towards the restaurant. "Then it's settled. We'll eat here."

As they continued their evening—eating dinner, walking though town, checking out a few of the shops—Lavi had to remind himself time and time again that this wasn't a date. It didn't matter that Tyki had referred to it as such, or that somewhere deep in Lavi's chest, he wanted to call it that as well. No, dating Tyki wasn't an option. It wasn't part of the plan.

He didn't care about Tyki. He didn't. He refused. Lavi couldn't care about someone who'd hurt his friends, who killed people and _liked it,_ who was trying to destroy humanity in a sick bid to cleanse the earth.

But even with those thoughts circling his head, he knew something in him had to be broken to let Tyki touch him like _this_.

Night had fallen only an hour ago, and after growing bored with wandering the town, Tyki had pulled Lavi into a deserted back alley. He pressed the redhead against one of the walls, kissing him roughly and grinding against him. Lavi moaned into his mouth, hands tugging at Tyki's shirt as he desperately tried to touch more of his smooth, dark skin. It didn't matter that they'd fucked near constantly the entire morning and afternoon. Lavi still spread his legs and begged for more.

Tyki bit at Lavi's lower lip and let out a pleased growl. His knee slipped between Lavi's legs as he dragged his nails over Lavi's clothed ass and thighs. "Already this excited, Red? Can't get enough of me, eh?"

"S-Shut up," Lavi groaned out, shivering against the touch. He wished he could deny Tyki's claim, but even after all they'd done that day, only a few kisses were enough to get him hot again.

With deft fingers, Tyki unbuttoned Lavi's pants and slipped a hand inside. He stroked Lavi's growing erection and pulled obscene noises from his throat. Lavi curled up against him, face resting in the crook of Tyki's neck as he panted.

Tyki chuckled, a grin spreading over his face. "Keep moaning— I like the way you sound."

Lavi wanted to bite back, refuse to give him what he wanted, but when Tyki's thumb swiped over the head of his cock, smearing precum over it, he couldn't keep quiet. He gasped and whined at the touch, the sound devolving into a desperate groan that he tried to muffle against Tyki's shoulder.

Tyki pressed a few kisses up Lavi's neck as he let out his own appreciated moan. "What a good little Bookman you are." He wrapped his fingers firmly around Lavi's cock and stroked him faster. "I'm gonna make you cum so hard you'll lose your voice screaming my name."

Lavi's head thumped back against the brick wall, his knees weak. He knew Tyki would follow through on that promise, and he had to bit his lip to keep from groaning in anticipation.

And then, everything stopped. The hand on his stiff flesh was yanked away, the lips on his neck disappeared, and everything was cold as he lost his grip on Tyki. The loss of contact was so sudden that it took Lavi a moment to screw his head back on straight. The sounds of scuffling assaulted his ears and when he opened his eye, what he saw made his heart seize up in fear.

Someone had pinned Tyki to the ground.

His body cooled in an instant, and adrenaline pushed him to intervene. Lavi lunged down at the attacker, ripping him off Tyki. He saw a flash of blood on Tyki's brow before he turned his full attention to the perpetrator. It was dark in the alley, but he saw well enough to know where to hit.

It only took a few well placed jabs to the stomach and chest, but Lavi knocked the wind out of the person long enough to force him to the ground and pin his wrists. "Look here, asshole, I don't know what your problem is, but—" Lavi cut himself off as a shaft of light illuminated the attacker's face. His breath stilled in his lungs, and the anger that had fueled him not seconds ago drained from his body like water rushing over a broken dam. He never thought he would see that face again, that pale, scarred, beautiful face.

"A-Allen?" Lavi stuttered out. He let go of his wrists, hands moving to cup Allen's cheeks between them. "Al, is that really you?"

It took a moment for Allen to reply, a smile slipping onto his face once he saw the redhead's reaction. "Yeah, it's me. Let me up, will you?"

Lavi was trembling as he moved off Allen and helped him to his feet. His face flushed red as he fixed his askew clothing. "What are you doing here? I didn't… Al, I never thought I'd see you again."

Before Allen could reply, Lavi felt himself being tossed to the side. He hit the wall hard, knocking his head against the bricks. Disoriented, he looked up to see that it had been Tyki who pushed him and was now grappling with Allen, forcing him back against the wall.

"Nice of you to drop by, 14th," Tyki growled out between clenched teeth.

Lavi watched in horror as Tyki pinned Allen to the wall, hands around his throat. Without a word, he rushed over and tried to pry his hands off. "Let him go, Tyki! Let Allen go!"

Tyki refused to budge, even as Lavi clawed at his arms. "It's not Allen, you fucking twit!" The distraction proved too much, however. As Lavi pulled at his arm, Allen kicked at his feet, weaseling out of his grip. In the struggle, Tyki struck out hoping to clip him before he got too far— but Allen evaded the strike, and Tyki hit the redhead instead.

Lavi cried out, falling backwards and hitting his head against wall for a second time. His vision swam from the impact, and the last thing he remembered before blacking out was Tyki shouting his name.

xXxXxXx

Hushed voices nagged at the edge of Lavi's mind as pain radiated through his body. He curled up on his side slowly, his limbs too stiff and sore to move with any dexterity. He felt like he'd been run over by a carriage.

As he listened, the conversation filtered in and out. Lavi only caught snippets of sentences and words, his mind still in a haze.

"…don't know… not… can't leave him like this."

Lavi winced, pressing his face into the soft pillow under his head.

"… He can't… You already… long enough. Stop fooling…"

Groaning, Lavi's hands tightened in the blankets surrounding him. What were they saying? He couldn't make it out.

The voices paused, silence echoing in the room.

"…I'll leave you two alone," one of the voices said, and Lavi recognized the female tone, though his fuzzy mind was unable to place it.

"Just go. I'll take care of it."

Lavi heard the sound of a door opening and closing, then after a short moment, a hand rested against his shoulder.

"Hey, wake up."

With a sigh, Lavi forced his good eye to open. His vision blurred as he turned laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling. Blinking to clear his sight, he recognized where he was in an instant—Tyki's bedroom.

Shifting his gaze to the side, he saw Tyki sitting on the edge of the bed. He had a bandage over his left eyebrow, and his clothes were more disheveled than when they had left the mansion earlier that day. Maybe it was Lavi's still-scrambled brain, but the Noah actually looked worried for him. He must've been imagining it.

"W-What's going on?" Lavi asked, his voice croaking out as if he hadn't spoken in days. He pressed a hand to his head and found it wrapped as well.

"You got a nasty concussion," Tyki explained. His fingers smoothed over Lavi's sweaty forehead, brushing back his bangs. "You've been out for hours."

True enough, when Lavi looked to the windows, it was dark. He couldn't tell what time it was, but it had to be late. Sitting up slowly, Lavi pushed back the bedsheets. What had happened, exactly? Why was he here? The last thing he remembered was being with Tyki in town, kissing, and—

Lavi stiffened, and in that moment, he recalled it all. A perfect, flawless memory ran through the events before his blackout. He recoiled from Tyki's touch and pushed himself further away on the bed. Lavi stared back at Tyki, his eye burning with anger.

"Where is he?"

Tyki stared back at him, his own golden eyes unblinking and as intense as the sun. "I don't know who you're talking about."

"You fucking know who—Allen! Where is he?!"

Even with Lavi's rough, angry tone, Tyki stayed surprisingly calm. "You know as well as I do that that wasn't Allen. It was the 14th. Allen is gone."

Lavi clenched his jaw, hands tightening in the bedsheets as his entire body stiffened up. "Where is he, Tyki?"

"I don't know. After you were knocked out, he ran away."

"You're lying."

Tyki narrowed his brows, lips dipping into a scowl. "Why would I lie?"

Lavi matched Tyki's look, pushing himself out of the bed. He stared at him from the other side, trembling. "You've always wanted to kill Allen, and I've watched you and the other Noah enough to know you all want him dead. You've relentlessly stalked him just for the chance!" Lavi couldn't control his lungs anymore, barely able to take a breath between words as his heart pounded in his chest. "You know how much he means to me—and if _you_ killed him, I wouldn't agree to be your fucktoy anymore."

Before Lavi could think on what he'd said, Tyki's hand shot out and grabbed the front of Lavi's shirt, yanking him back onto the bed. Lavi struggled, but Tyki's heavier build easily pinned him down on the mattress. He couldn't fight back in his weakened state. He couldn't move—couldn't breathe.

With a laugh, Tyki sneered down at him. "You think I'd give up bragging rights for killing Allen Walker just to keep fucking you? Your ass isn't that great, Red. You're not worth it. You never were."

The words struck Lavi hard. He stared wide-eyed at Tyki, his hands tugging at his wrists in a futile effort to break his hold. The blood rushed to Lavi's head. He couldn't think straight, not with those eyes burning into his soul.

After a long tense silence, Tyki let go of Lavi and crawled off the bed. He turned his back on him. "Get out."

Lavi sat there like a frightened rabbit, staring at Tyki's back. His mind had blanked. His chest ached. He didn't know what to do, but he knew he didn't want to leave. "Tyki, I—"

"I said _get out!_ "

The vehemence in Tyki's tone shook Lavi enough to push him to action. He stumbled out of the bed and towards the door, leaving without another word.

Lavi struggled to find his way through the darkened hallways, his vision blurring again. With one hand clenched tight at the front of his shirt, he moved erratically, tripping over his own feet at times, and having to hold the wall for support.

After turning down a few hallways, he realized he couldn't keep moving. He stopped, sliding down against the wall and crumbling up onto himself. It was only when he wiped at his eye that he realized why his vision had blurred—he was crying.

Tyki had never looked at him like that, never spoken to him in that tone. He was truly pissed off, and even when they were enemies, it had never been like that. Never.

His chest burned from holding in sobs, and Lavi could do nothing but sit there and cry as he fought back the tremors that took over his entire body. He shouldn't feel like this. It… it didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore. Why should he care what Tyki thought? Why should he care if Tyki hated him?

He didn't care.

He didn't love Tyki.

He didn't love him.

 _He didn't…_

Another wave of tears spilled over Lavi's cheeks. He buried his face in his hands and shook his head as the realization ate away at his stomach like acid

 _He did…_


End file.
